Uncertainty

The biggest challenge for the artist & entrepreneur is “uncertainty,” because creativity itself is uncertain. The very nature of creativity is uncertainty. Otherwise it wouldn’t be called creativity—it would be called certainty. When an artist approaches the canvas with a dripping brush, she’s uncertain. When a songwriter jots down a lyric, he’s uncertain. When an entrepreneur makes a tough decision, she’s uncertain. And when a manager assures his client that everything will be ok, he’s really uncertain.

A person with a real job wakes up in the morning into certainty; a start time, an end time, and a paycheck. When an artist or entrepreneur wakes up in the morning, uncertainty is sitting impatiently at the foot of the bed with a list of unfinished works and unsolved mysteries…that only creativity can solve. And you can forget the certainty of a paycheck!

So the truly committed artist and the most successful entrepreneur live in a perpetual state of uncertainty. No wonder they’re always a little edgy, no wonder they have quirky personalities, no wonder they rarely have time, and no wonder…everyone loves them.

Certainty is safe and dependable—Uncertainty is risky and speculative.
Certainty makes folks feel comfortable—Uncertainty makes folks squirm a little.
So much we can learn from Uncertainty—So much we already know about Certainty.
Uncertainty includes ALL possibilities—Certainty is limited to those options that are Certain.
The capricious works of Uncertainty may keep fans & customers curious and coming back for more.
The predictability of Certainty may bore fans & customers into moving on…in search of Uncertainty.

It’s Certainly possible that your degree of success as an artist or entrepreneur is in direct proportion to your willingness to accept and embrace Uncertainty.